Derrick Lewis Ahead Of UFC 230 Title Fight: I'm Not A Mixed Martial Artist. I'm Just A Brawler

Derrick Lewis isn’t like many other mixed martial artists. In fact, Lewis, who faces UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier on Nov. 3 in the main event of UFC 230, doesn’t consider himself a mixed martial artist at all.

Derrick Lewis meets UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier in the main event of UFC 230, which takes place on Nov. 3 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC)

“I’m not a mixed martial artist,” Lewis said at a recent media event at the UFC Performance Institute. “That’s probably what they’re looking at. I don’t blame them. I don’t train like a mixed martial artist. I don’t respect the sport like everyone else does. I’m just a brawler.”

“I go in and fight just to fight. I don’t care about the submissions and the technique, and the bowing and showing respect. I don’t care about none of that. I’m just coming to fight.”

Lewis’ approach to MMA might be different from the majority of fighters on the UFC roster, but that doesn’t mean his modus operandi hasn’t been successful.

Lewis is 9-1 in his past 10 fights. That run includes his most recent victory, a come from behind knockout win over Alexander Volkov that earned him not only his fifth UFC fight-night bonus, but also a short-notice shot at Cormier’s title.

Cormier and Lewis were booked to headline UFC 230, which takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York City, on Oct. 9. While the main focus of the bout is Cormier’s title strap, there’s also the chance that the winner could face former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar sometime in early 2019.

Cormier has been looking forward to facing Lesnar since he won the title from Stipe Miocic at UFC 226 in July. Cormier plans to retire from MMA by the time he turns 40 in March 2019. The bout against Lesnar would allow him to walk away from the sport with a huge payday in his final contest.

Lewis isn't as concerned as Cormier about who he'll fight next should he become UFC heavyweight champion.

“It doesn’t matter who’s next,” Lewis said. “I still believe Stipe probably should have been next, because all the people that lost their belt, they got a title shot right back.”